At 40 years old, Chris Paul could draw his Hall-of-Fame career to a close this summer. His former teammate, Matt Barnes, doesn’t think the veteran playmaker is ready to call it quits quite yet, though. After spending the majority of his last eight seasons away from his family, CP3 will have different priorities when selecting his next destination — if he decides to continue his career. According to Barnes, the 12-time All-Star will make family proximity a key factor in his free agency decision.
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Since building and growing his family during his six-year stint with the Los Angeles Clippers and establishing their family home there, Paul has bounced around the league. Though he has been close to and even in California in some of his recent stops, including the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, each has required a lot of separation.
Paul’s time spent with distant franchises like Houston, Oklahoma City and, most recently, San Antonio has taken a toll on the 20-year veteran. Barnes believes CP3 wants to play one more season but not at the expense of his loved ones.
“We live right down the street from [the Paul’s]. He’s missing a lot of time with the family, and I know that’s starting to wear on him at this age,” the former forward said on All the Smoke. “Close to 40. Shout out, played all 82 games last season for San Antonio. I’m sure he was a great mentor for them young dudes.”
CP3 was an inspirational veteran in his one year with the Spurs, but, while lauding his close friend’s incredible career, Barnes shared that he hopes to see Paul move closer to home
“And let’s keep it real, one of the greatest point guards of all time. I hope there’s an opportunity for him to get to an LA team, first and foremost, but if not, maybe the Kings? … But hopefully just get him closer to the family,” Barnes continued.
As a journeyman himself, Barnes knows exactly what Paul is feeling. The 45-year-old played for 9 different franchises all around the country during his own 14-year career. After teaming up with the Golden State Warriors in a successful final bid for a champion ring in 2016-17, Barnes decided to retire. His reasoning? He also missed his family.
“When I decided to retire out the blue, it’s because I was missing the kids so much,” Barnes shared. “So I just know how hard [it is], that s**t becomes a job when you’re gone half the year and you don’t live [with them]. It’s a lot.”
When Barnes was asked about realistic destinations for Paul, he landed on a pair of franchises that could benefit from his veteran leadership. “There’s rumors that the Suns or Clippers can have a reuniting situation with him,” Barnes said. “CP is weird because he’d old school. He’s gonna tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.”
While he admitted he doesn’t know what CP3’s leadership style is now, he described him as “one of the absolute best leaders” he’s ever played with. Chris Paul may not be able to contribute on the court at the same level he could in his prime, but any team would benefit from his leadership and knowledge of the game.
